Talisman Reviews:
Reviewer: The Silent Men for
ProgressiveEars May 2007 (English) website: www.progressiveears.com
"Overall,
I have to give this high marks, both for packaging/concept and also the music.
A
worthy contender to the Ayreon throne." Rating: none
Reviewer: Tonyb for ProgressiveWaves
March 2007 (French) website: www.progressivewaves.com
"Talisman se révèle au final un solide et intéressant
album de néo-progressif classique." Rating: 7/10
Reviewer: Alberto Nucci for Arlequins.It
March 2007 (Italian) website: www.arlequins.it
"Insomma… un grazioso dischetto, sicuramente meritevole
di una chance." Rating: None
Reviewer: Jean-Pierre Lhoir for Music In
Belgium October 2006 (French) website: www.musicinbelgium.net
"Voilà un album qui devrait régaler les fans de rock
progressif et plus particulièrement ceux qui aiment les concepts,
les ambiances Tolkien, Shakary, Clepsydra et Mostly Autumn.
Tout ce qu'on pourrait lui reprocher
est de ne pas décoller suffisamment." Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Fabio Rancati for HardSounds.It October 2006 (Italian) website: www.hardsounds.it
"Il lavoro svolto da Braam risulta quindi di livello, ricordando a tratti Lucassen,
nome ormai affermato nel panorama prog grazie ai suoi Ayreon.." Rating: 75/100
Reviewer: Edwin Baeyens for Prog-Nose September 2006
(English) website: www.prog-nose.org
Reviewer: Edwin Baeyens for Prog-Nose September 2006
(Dutch) website: www.prog-nose.org
"Music-wise, it is very clear where Jankees Braam has taken his cues: the influences of
concept masters AYREON and CLIVE NOLAN (ARENA, SHADOWLAND and his collaborations
with Oliver Wakeman) are obvious. IQ, old MARILLION and MAGENTA also come to mind." Rating: 7.5/10
Reviewer: Gerald Wandio for Dutch Progressive Rock Pages September 2006 (English) website: www.dprp.net
"A fine album, ambitious and enjoyable...." Rating: 7.5/10
Reviewer: Joost Boley for Aardschok Magazine September 2006 (Dutch) website: www.aardschok.com
"... zorgen zij voor een afwisselend avontuur vol passie, bombast, sfeer en emotie.
Soms dreigend en stevig, soms melanchisch en ingetogen.." Rating: 75/100
Reviewer: Ralf Stierlen for
Home Of Rock August 2006 (German) website: www.home-of-rock.net
"... but
at least it will entertain the "Friend of the Genre"
throughout and can be rated in the good
"MidField" of the Prog-Liga." Rating: none
Reviewer: Ralf 'Jogi'
Ruhenstroth for Home Of Rock August 2006 (German) website: www.rocktimes.de
"Musikalisch macht die Scheibe einen guten
Eindruck, der Sound ist okay. Das Booklet zeigt nach außen
natürlich einen Talismann und dazu gibt es die Texte, damit der
Hörer der Geschichte
vernünftig folgen kann." Rating: none
Reviewer: Martin Dambeck
for Idioglossia.de July 2006 (German) website: www.idioglossia.de
"Along
with that, there are also surprising moments to discover, when
for example in “Sea of Cortez” the
Cello and classical guitar duel” with modern keyboards. The
melodic guitar solos are compelling just as
the transparent, heavy “production." Rating: 5/15
Reviewer: RB for Obliveon: Metal und Gothic
Webzine July 2006 (German) website: www.obliveon.de
"In a
musical sence Ixion leans heavy on the keyboards, with Moog,
Synthesizers and Hammond
they build a wide soundscape."
Rating: 4/10
Reviewer: Daniel Eggenberger for
Proggies.ch July 2006 (German) website: www.proggies.ch
"Just as with Ayreon, the
different Singers are important for the complete picture of the
Story.
The compositions are bombastic, dramatic and exciting." Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Erik Neuteboom
for ProgWalhalla July 2006 (Dutch) website: www.progwalhalla.nl
"But in general this
album is a very mature product, with a beautiful sound en enough
material
to enjoy this very good Dutch progrock project!" Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Horst Straske for
Babyblaue Seiten July 2006 (German) website: www.babyblaue-seiten.de
"Ixion
changes between symphonic bombast, metallic heaviness and
heart-breaking emotions." Rating: 8/15
Interview with Joop Klazinga for ProgWereld October 2006 (Dutch) website: www.progwereld.org
Reviewer: Joop Klazinga for ProgWereld June 2006
(Dutch)
website: www.progwereld.org
"With
Talisman, IXION has produced an excellent concept album. Enjoy
this Talisman
and fortune will be with you" Rating: none-
Reviewer: Anthonie Deelen for iO Pages July 2006 website: www.iopages.nl
"So there
is a lot of variation, just as you expect with Progressive Rock.
This album has more
than enough to offer to entertain the average Prog-lover." Rating: Tip!
Interview with Arne Asbolmo
for Melodic HardRock Today July 2006
"I wish
you good luck with Talisman, and hope many people will discover
your nice
progressive symphonic rock"
Reviewer: Arne Asbolmo for
Melodic HardRock Today July 2006 website www.melodichardrocktoday.tk
"All in all I find this
album very interesting and entertaining, and for fans of
neo-progressive and
symphonic rock this album is a must-have!!!"
Rating: 95/100
CryoGenesis
Reviews:
Reviewer: Walter Haentjens for Prog-Nose april 2004 website: www.prog-nose.org
Reviewer: Ton Veldhuis for ProgWereld may 2004 website: www.progwereld.org
Reviewer: Antonie Deelen for iO-Pages magazine may 2004 website: www.net4u.nl/io
Reviewer: Marcel Haster for ProgPower Online june 2004 website: www.progpower.de
Reviewer: Mark Hughes for Dutch Progressive Rock Pages june 2004 website www.dprp.net
Reviewer: Louis Koot for PitFather june 2004 website www.pitfather.com
Interview with Louis Koot for PitFather july 2004
Reviewer: Arne Asbolmo for Melodic HardRock Today august 2004 website www.melodichardrocktoday.tk
Reviewer: Jurriaan Hage for The Axiom of Choice september 2004 website www.cs.uu.nl/people/jur/progrock.html
Reviewer: Henri Strik for Background Magazine website www.backgroundmagazine.nl
Reviewer: Unknown, review 1 from Japan website
Reviewer: Unknown, review 2 from Japan website: www.diskunion.com/progre/detail.php?tid=PGL-4431